Biathlon Rifle Range Terminology

"Cease Fire!" - Stop shooting and clear your rifle immediately. Can be given by anyone who sees an unsafe situation

Clear Rifle - Bolt open, no round in chamber, remove magazine/clip

Down Range - Area in front of the firing line in the direction of the targets

Firing Line - Area designated to shoot from with numbered positions. No one goes forward of the firing line unless the Cease Fire! command is given first.

Firing point - A numbered position on the firing line from which a competitor shoots at the correspondingly numbered target.

Fortner Action - A type of rifle action made by Anshutz that operates by pulling the bolt lever directly to the rear and pushing it forward, requiring no rotation.

Prone - Shooting position lying down

Shot group - Area on the target where a number of shots hit

Shoot clean - Hit all targets (e.g. no penalty)

Standing - Shooting position standing up (Also referred to as Offhand)

Target line - Area where targets are set up

Wind Flag - Small flags made of lightweight material, placed between the firing line and target line to help the competitor determine the speed and direction of the wind.

Zero - Sight setting which produces center hits on the target